Books

James V 1513 - 1542

Life:

Link to Edinburgh:

Many stories talk about the king
walking around the city in disguise
pretending to be "The Guidman of
Ballengeich".

Interesting fact:

James had adventures meeting his
mistresses and illegitimate children.
He was a romantic who wanted
ladies to love him as a man, not because he was king.

The story of The Guidman of Ballengeich and Jock Howieson

The king was attacked by robbers when on his way to meet a lady in
Crammond. He was saved by a miller called Jock Howieson. Jock
took James back to his house, gave him food and cleaned the king's
wounds. The king pretended to be a farmer of royal lands and asked
Jock to come with him to Holyrood to see the king…

The story then says that the king gave the land of Braehead to Jock's
family. 200 years later Sir Walter Scott made King George IV and Queen
Victoria visit Braehead and they were given water and a towel in recognition
of the story.